On the third day following, they obtained late passes.
Willie’s uneasiness was considerable, yet so
was his vanity. He affected an absurdly devil-may-care
deportment which so stirred Macgregor’s sense
of pity that he had thoughts of taking back what he
had said about the cream cookies. But at the
last moment his bootlace snapped. . . .

Willie’s toilet was the most careful he had
ever made, and included an application of exceeding
fragrant pomade pilfered from his corporal’s
supply and laid on thickly enough to stop a leak.
Finally, having armed himself with his new cane and
put seven breath perfumers and a cigarette in his
mouth, he approached the stooping Macgregor and declared
himself ready for the road.

For once in his life Willie had no answer at hand,
and for once he blushed.

XII

A TEA-PARTY

Christina was serving a customer when her two guests
entered the shop. Unembarrassed she beamed on
both and signed to Macgregor to go ‘right in.’
So Macgregor conducted his friend, who during the
journey had betrayed increasing indications of ‘funk,’
into the absent owner’s living-room, which Christina
had contrived to make brighter looking than for many
a year.